buster.

What is vital is that we are in as best possible shape for a game in Russia that has an approximate prize of 10M ....IF we get the result we need. I'm sure SG&Co will do what's best.

Latest thanks to Bert Kassie 4 Scotland 4 teams 10 9 3 0 0 0 0 14.5 3.625 3 Glasgow Rangers EL 4 3 0 0 0 0 0 5.5 not out 13 Celtic EL 3 3 1 0 0 0 0 4.5 not out 49 Hibernian EL 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 4.0 166 Aberdeen EL 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0.5

Taking goals out of your team is an option that managers often find the most difficult. I'd try and play further up the pitch, play the two up front, ask Lafferty to do most of the 'donkey work' and tell Morelos to spend more time near the penalty spot.

One other thing is to impress upon the players this weekend and in no uncertain terms, is the need not to take the bait and get themselves sent off. Not only would it numerically disadvantage us on the day but they'd be suspended for the Celtic game.

Priority has to be the game in Russia,....it's worth up to an 8 figure sum to revenue. Any 'experiment' has to be Motherwell. Lack of time to drill players in it makes it less likely.

McCrorie is suspended.

McGregor Flanagan........Goldson...........Katic Tav......Halliday.....Arfield....Ejaria....Barasic Morelos........Lafferty I'd rest Jack, Candeis and Kent and try something a little different to see if it can spark up front and take some of the load off Alfie.

Jealousy is oozing oot o ye ! Top Tip: Take a break from the Internet and go get yir hole.

A lot of FARE's conflcted links have been known about for years but if UEFA have their backs, it makes it more difficult to expose them and probably the reason they still operate with impunity wrt to 'offensive' against Rangers.

Relieved to see him in training gear again. Maybe he will make the 2nd of September.

I'd rest Jack on Sunday. We badly need him to be at full throttle for Russia.

I reckon he'll open his account on Sunday.

A duck to water The media are genuinely 'scared' of him.......in that they know he'll swat them aside with ease if they come out with cr@p but at the sametime he is very approachable and open. It's like watching a game of chess where one player is 2 or 3 moves ahead of his opponent. ---------------------- Sounds like we won't see Coulibaly until after the International break.

And confidence. He is young and a winger. Inconsistency is inevitable. He'll need a kick up the erchie on ocassion, ie. dropped/rotated.

McCrorie has played in various positions, including RB, CH and DM. As he develops all options are open.

Team for Motherwell McGregor McCrorie... Flanagan........Goldson...........Katic Tav......Halliday.....Arfield....Ejaria....Barasic Morelos........Lafferty #rotate edit I think McCrorie is suspended for this game insert Flanagan

One plus is that Chris McLaughlin wouldn't have been able to take a seat beside the FARE inspector. McLaughlin has in the past often been in close proximity to match delegates and fourth officials, who have went on to be involved in 'exclusives'.

With rotation in mind, I'd consider Middleton for a start in the Motherwell game. I doubt Hartley and his team would expect it. First, Tav and Flanagan will have to help with a job that needs doing in Russia next week. Contrast the depth in FB cover with centre halfs. We'll get one in but we'll probably end up with one of the FB's needing to play CH at stages during the season.

Middleton is a good option to have on the bench. Signing Lafferty on at least provides another and not surprisingly, he immediately jumps Sadiq in the pecking order. IF we could get through to the group stages then Barasic solves the left-sided FB problem for the EL. Wallace seems as though he's being brought back into the fold so you have a LB logjam or simply Flanagan becomes back-up for Tav. However if one day you have an eventual choice between Wallace and Flanagan for LB slot, I reckon SG picks Flanagan......so whether LW will get much gametime remains to be seen. Any player signed now can't play the second leg so let's hope we get out of Motherwell unscathed.

A quick scan of our European history shows us having won the First leg 1-0, at Home in KO ties (ie. not group stage) a total of 8 times with the balance of success in our favour. We went on to get through the tie on 6 occasions but were put out twice. 75% success rate which is better than the general stats that say a 1-0 home victory in the first leg gives you a 61% of going through https://kassiesa.net/uefa/forum/view.php?archive=2008.Q3&topic=20080919192651.xml Six successful 60's: Rapid Vienna 70's: Young Boys of Berne and Lillestrom 80's: Katowice 90's: Anorthosis 00's: Red Star Two unsuccessful 80s: Osasuna 2010's: Progres

- We know what we need - 8 days left in the window - 7 days until we know if we are in the EL group stages or not - 1 day with knowledge of fixture list and revenue levels

As has been said by many, we need another decent creative option added to the squad by the end of the month.

Next week will be a big test for this team. We'll have to be at our best.

A lot of the ball without much spark or precise creativity to break though tight spaces. Only look a threat with the set-piece and thankfully we got a goal before HT to ease any nerves. We went to sleep after the goal and Ufa should be level. We'll have to defend better in second half. More important to keep one out rather than score one more. I'd be happier with two more.

Wrt this piece by itself, no we wouldn't have far more support from outside and nor would we win this particular 'battle'.